Banjo



(No Model.)

J. F. LUSGOMB.

BANJO.

No. 504,810. Patented Sept. 12, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. LUSCOMB, OF MARSHFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

B'ANJO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Yatent N0. 504,810, dated September 12, 1893.

Application filed January 16, 1893. Serial No. 458,513. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN F. LUSOOMB, a citi- ,zen of the United States, residing at Marsh:

field, in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Banjos; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The present invention has for its object to prevent the ordinary wooden rim of a banjo from warping and also give to the banjo a superior tone both in body and solidity, and consists of a metal ring constructed substantially as described and shown, which ring is connected to the interior of the wooden rim and held in place thereon, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

Figure 1 of the drawings represents a sec I tional elevation of a portion of the head of a banjo. Fig. 2 represents a perspective view partly in section of the metal ring; Fig. 3 a sectional view in detail of the wooden rim and metal covering upon the outside thereof.

In the accompanying drawings A represents the Wooden rim having upon its exterior the ordinary thin covering of German silver or other metal which is spun upon the outside of the wooden rim or in any other manner connected thereto, such covering being shown at B. The skin-head C is stretched over the wooden rim and around a wire a and tightened by means of the hooked screw-rods D, the band E and hooked rods F which have their lower ends screw threaded and pass down through lugs or brackets b and nuts c upon the screw threaded ends, as shown in Fig. 1.

The above described constructionis of the ordinary kind and forms no part of my invention, but is simply shown to better illustrate the application of the metal ring G which constitutes the invention, and consequently the ring maybe applied to any banjo head in which a wooden rim is used with equal e'ifect. The interior of the wooden rim A is reduced in thickness or rabbeted to form a seat (I for the metal ring G, which ring is formed upon its exterior with screw threads e so as to hold it in place. In connecting the ring G it is turned the same as a screw, the fibers of the wood separating and holding the ring securely in place.

In place of the screw threads on the exterior of the ring, the surface may be roughened or have simply corrugations extending around it so that the ring will be held in position by friction after being forced into the rim A, the shoulder formed by the seat at preventing the ring from slipping down out of position. The metal ring will prevent the wooden rim from warping or twisting out of shape when the skin-head is stretched on.

Having now fully described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination with the wooden hoop or rim of a banjo, of a metal ring having exterior screw threads for connecting it to the interior of the hoop or ring, substantially as g and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence 

